1 Corinthians 12
12
The different functions of the Spirit
1Now as to the phenomena of your faith which show in a special way the presence of God and the action of the Spirit. Recollect this Spirit is one. Many of you are moved far beyond your ordinary capacity, and do things which in your own strength would be utterly impossible to you, — you prophesy, teach, heal, speak with tongues, and perform wonders, marvels — and this is not yourselves, it is the Spirit by which you are possessed. 2But recollect, my brethren, there is nothing in this similar to those possessions by spirits you were once familiar with in the old religions. At one time that worship was part of your life. You were carried away willy-nilly as you were led in the service of these dumb idols. 3-5And because this type of worship was so familiar to you, I bid you remember that, if anyone is possessed and cries out a curse on Jesus, such possession you will know comes not from God, whilst on the other hand to acknowledge Jesus as Lord can never be done except by those to whom the Spirit has been imparted. Now this Spirit, as I say, is one, absolutely one, throughout all its manifestations, and that is why all those phenomena which represent to us its operations are so mutually harmonious and complementary. 6-8One man may evidence one kind of gift or service, one man’s sphere of usefulness or inspiration may differ entirely from another’s, but he will not differ in the spirit.
The oneness of the Spirit
9It is the same Spirit, the same Lord, the same God which imparts, ordains, inspires, possesses. 10The word of knowledge, the word of wisdom, faith, gifts of healing, inspiration and genius, prophecy, spiritual insight and discernment, tongues and the interpretation of tongues — 11these all proceed in varying degrees displayed by different individuals from the one infinite Spirit. He, that Spirit, is all in all, and one, and all these gifts are constituted in His action and operation. 12The Christ is as it were one infinite body, wherein all the parts and members are mutually helpful and interdependent. 13In the unity of the same organism there cannot be inharmonious contradictory parts. 14-16Hand cannot say to foot, I have no need of you. Ear and eye are different members and have different functions, but what if the ear said to the eye, “because I am different from you, we belong to different bodies,” would it be true? And so all of us were baptised into one vast body, the infinite Christ, — Jews, Greeks, slaves, and free — and we all drank the wine of the one Spirit. Hence these different gifts, functions and offices which operate in us. This very variety constitutes the essential being of the Spirit, because the Spirit includes all. 17If the body were all eye, where would the hearing be? If it were all ear, where would the eyebrow be? 18-21Every part is beautifully formed to assist and be complementary to the others; none is otiose, negligible or useless, 22but on the contrary those very parts which are held in least honour often have the most important functions, 23-25and the visible parts of the body which form its beauty are the most dependent on the organs which are not seen and are less esteemed. 26If one member suffer, all suffer with it, and no one part of the body can be affected, for good or ill, without all the others feeling it. 27So is it in that infinite spiritual body of the Christ, which we together constitute, of which we are all members. 28Whether in the church there be those that are called apostles, prophets, teachers, healers, helpers, officers, speakers with tongues — what is this but the activity of one life? 29Because it is one thing, all are not therefore apostles, nor all prophets, nor all teachers, 30nor all healers, nor all speakers with tongues, nor all interpreters. 31True, some gifts are greater than others, and it is right to wish for the greatest gifts of all, and in that respect, I will point out to you a way that is better than all others.
Translated in 1916, published in 1937.
Qorintiyim Aleph (1 Corinthians) 12
12
1And concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not wish you to be ignorant.
2You know that you were nations,#See also Eph. 2:11; Eph. 4:17; 1Pe. 4:3; 1Thes. 4:5 led away to the dumb idols, even as you might be led.
3Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of Elohim says יהושע is a curse, and no one is able to say that יהושע is Master except by the Set-apart Spirit.
4And there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5There are different kinds of services, but the same Master.
6And there are different kinds of workings, but it is the same Elohim who is working all in all.
7And to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for profiting,
8for to one is given a word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
9and to another belief by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit,
10and to another operations of powers, and to another prophecy, and to another discerning of spirits, and to another kinds of tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues.
11But one and the same Spirit works all these, distributing to each one individually as He intends.
12For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is the Messiah.
13For indeed by one Spirit we were all immersed into one body, whether Yehuḏim or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink into one Spirit.
14For indeed the body is not one member but many.
15If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” does it therefore not belong to the body?
16And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” does it therefore not belong to the body?
17If all the body was an eye, where would be the hearing? If all hearing, where would be the smelling?
18But now Elohim has set the members, each one of them, in the body, even as He pleased.
19And if they all had been one member, where would the body be?
20And now, there are indeed many members, but one body.
21And an eye is unable to say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
22But much rather, those members of the body which are thought to be weaker are necessary.
23And to those of the body which we think to be less respected, these we present greater respect. And our unseemly members have greater seemliness,
24whereas our seemly members have no need. But Elohim blended together the body, having given greater respect to that member which lacks it,
25that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same concern one for another.
26And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is esteemed, all the members rejoice with it.
27And you are a body of Messiah, and members individually.
28And Elohim has appointed these in the assembly: firstly emissaries, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, ministrations, kinds of tongues.
29Are all emissaries? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?
30Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
31But earnestly seek the better gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
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